You may but I would definately cut off all the flowers; the plants will benefit from expending their energy on healing and establishing roots. Where are you located? Winter may not really be over yet. Almost every year I have to protect early spring pitchers and flowers from frost-but its worth it.

mutant hybrid, I would like to see the flower bud when it gets a bit bigger if you can post pics. BTW, how far are the lights from you plants? Mine are 18 inches away and seem to be doing good.The sarracenia seedlings are doing great! They are already looking like your 6 month olds from 6 months ago! They are so profolic! I heard they were supposed to be slow growers but mine are quick.Also, I don't have any of my nepenthes in a terrarium and they don't seem to be producing pitchers. The only one pitchering the ventricosa, truncata and sanguinea. The mira lost it's pitchers since the sun got to hot while I was at school. And the Vent. x Inermis swells up its pitchers a little but then stop growing.I am considering putting them back in the terrarium. Also, I also dig cacti now as well.So far I got 1 Golden Barrel, 1 unknown from Ikea, 1 Fishhook Barrel, and 1 saguaro.I could trade if you like any of them. Thanks, Adrian

N. X ventrata is an easy hybrid to grow; it is a tropical plant so it doesn't require a dormancy period like the American pitcher plants. Nepenthes grow year round as long as their growing condition are met. Sarracenias enter into dormancy when the photoperiods starts to lower and temperatures go down at the begging or end of autumn. The first sign that the Sarracenia are entering dormancy is that it simply stops producing new leaves and the growing tip becomes compact. The old pitchers start to loose their color and will develop dead spots and its edges curled and browning. Sarracenia flava, alata, leucophylla, and oreophila will sometimes produce a couple of sword-shape leaves called phyllodia. That's normal. Sometimes, depending where you live and the species of the Sarracenia, like S. purpurea, will keep its pitchers but it will be too damage by the next growing season. If you are not planning to grow them in a bog garden and only want to have them growing in pots. To store your dormant Sarracenias, most people simply place the plants in a cool room and maintain their soil moist just enough to keep the rhizomes from drying out. While others, simply snip the old leaves off and place them in the fridge if they live in a warm climate. Wrapping the rhizomes with moist moss to keep them from drying out. Still some few people risks just keeping their dormant plants covered in snow out in their yards, Sarracenia Northwest once posted pics of their yard of Sarracenia covered with snow. But it is best not to do that to Southern growing Sarracenias like S. flava, S. leucophylla, S. minor, and S. purpurea ssp. venosa. Where I live in Arizona, it used to gets cold enough that I simply snip the old leaves and simply place a shade-clothe over the greenhouse. But this past winter, the winter was too short and not quite cold enough and I wasn't paying attention so they didn't get a proper dormancy. Only one S. flava and two of my rubras flowered this year. Well, here are some of my pics: This is S. flava var. rugelii or "Splotch Throat". Although it doesn't have the splotch, yet. S. flava var. "Copper Top" S. flava var ornate or "Heavy Veined" My ventrata is barely making 3-inch urns. I had S. flava "Red Tube" but unfortunately it became the victim of rats, they also destroyed my S. alata "Red Throat" and damaged three of my rubras. Damn pests! Well, the trick is simply keep them in a cool place and the photoperiod low, and make sure that the media its growing on is moist enough to keep the rhizomes from drying out. Hope this helps and happy growing.

Hi MzMolly, I live in Portland just south of you and have some recommendations. First, you need to pick the sunniest spot in your yard. At leas 8-10 hrs of sun in the summer, 11 or 12 near the solstice is best. Second, you need a sphagnum bog. See the link of mine. Pond liner with a couple holes to ensure a little drainage and a mix of peat and perlite or pumice works best. Pure peat is fine too. The cost will be about $200 for a small one. The other option is to grow in pots with water saucers, which can be fine for many years. I agree with dethcheez that seedlings are tough. It's about a 5-7 year growth period to bloom. In that time, your one small start will grow and divide into as many plants as you start with seed. I started with 5 plants in 2006-2007 and this year the divisions completely fill the bog. Third, next time you're in Portland, visit our Saturday market and find Sarracenia Northwest's booth. They have them for less than what you described. Last, visit Brad Wilson's website to get inspired: http://www.flickr.com/photos/frogdr/collections/72157622134145986/ Best, Ross Here is a link that might be useful: Bog